D i s t a n c e
by RomanticFictionFreak
Summary: Time seperated them. Tessa's immortality has always nagged at her conscious. As does her love for two great men. As the years progressed, Jem and Will aging, she learns the past does not so easily die with those enmeshed. But will Tessa allow it to?


**Disclaimer: I do not own The Infernal Devices series, all rights belong to (modern creative genius) Cassandra Clare.**

**This is my first TID fanfiction, and i understand that my writing is not the same as Clare's, however, i hope you enjoy the short onefic set years after Clockwork Angel.**

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><p>"Tess!"<p>

Her head jerked toward Will, catching the fear in the fiery blue of his eyes. A clockwork was working against him, it's metal arm against Will's seraph blade. But still, even when under attack himself, he was looking out for her. Always for her.

Tessa quickly looked in front of her, and found a clockwork charging at her, its steel hands ready to claw, strangle, or pull. Tessa's heart beat once. And within that second, her surroundings focused. Will had alerted her from across the room on the far side. How Tessa had heard him through the tumult was unclear. Maybe it was his natural tendency to stand out. Maybe she was always waiting for his voice. But Jem was practically right beside her— as if it was instinctive for him to stay at her side. And yet, as the clockwork aimed toward her, her death face to face, Tessa screamed only once.

"Will!"

She didn't have time to shut her eyes before Jem jumped in front of her and struck a blow to the clockwork, smashing its metal head to pieces.

Instantly, Tessa looked for Will. Finding him free of his now destroyed clockwork, jogging to her, lessening their distance.

Tessa found his eyes. The icy bright blue of his eyes— the fear and depth, the compassion, that lay within them, like nothing she'd ever seen. But should have. Had it been there since the first time she saw him? Since that day on the roof, did she fight to be blind to those eyes? Of all the names, Will's had been the one she wanted to say, to scream out with little air that remained in her lungs. Even when she knew he had willingly turned away from her, he always seemed to appear in the most important moments. He was her dependency. And with her call, it became present that this was a dire, unexplainable truth.

A rare second of vulnerability crossed his face as he stared at Tessa, approaching her not fast enough, her body shaking with fear and impatience.

Jem stepped in front of her, like an eclipse, his presence pulling her mind back to her senses. He grabbed her hand, so gently, so like Jem, forcing her to meet his gaze, to make sure she was all right. But she didn't see him. Only blue. Still paralyzed, too captivated by what she saw and the thoughts that rushed with it.

She imprinted those eyes, Will's eyes, into her mind, a rune inked within her memories. She had to keep them, as if she knew it'd be the last she'd ever see of them.

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><p>"Miss Grey? Miss Grey...?" Chester, her doorman, asked her, concerned by the blankness in her eyes as Tessa recalled the past. He had been sent out into town for an errand, and claimed to have run into a messenger from Whales, who was told to deliver news to a Miss Tessa Grey. When there had been no letter, Chester informed her that the sender was too impatient to write one, and forced the messenger to remember his every word instead.<p>

Her eyes flashed to his. "Will hasn't seen me in twelve years, what does he want now?" she asked him, confused and slightly vexed at this request. Yet she fought against the pleasant jolt in her stomach at the sound of speaking his name.

"_You_, Miss," he told her earnestly, "He's not content with anything else."

Tessa's mind brought back a flash; of holy water and vampire blood, and a stubborn boy in the darkness of an attic. A hot kiss that intertwined them both long after it was over and ignited her blood with a desire she didn't know how to control. She blinked, her brows coming together. It couldn't be helped to turn away, to stare out the rain-soaked window as if somehow her past displayed itself against the glass. "All these years..."she mused, letting free of a breath. "I still can't believe why he'd ask for me."

Chester, listening to her statement as if she expected an actual answer, added, "_Implored_ for you would seem more fitting, Miss."

There was a silence as Tessa absorbed his words. She heard Will's voice in her head as if he told her himself. Will begging, she almost snorted at the fact. Though it had been years, that part of Will would never change. Arrogant and proud. She knew that for a complete truth.

Chester continued, "He said he _needs_ to see you, that he can't wait any longer. He said out of good faith, for an old friend, you would come. And if not, he wants you to know he'd die, in an instant, an unhappy man," Chester made an expression, recalling a familiar aspect, "However, Sir William is known to have a tendency to run his tongue thick with egregious lies, and I do believe 'dying in an instant' was one of them."

She smiled at the thought. Will was a clear figure in her eyes, bringing back old memories, raw emotions that Tessa had buried behind her, like Magnus had advised, to keep her as straight as she was. But twelve years had breathed by her. Her past was still alive. And despite the distance she'd put between herself and its painful shadow, she seemed unable to let it go. If death was the only way to free it, and life was all that held it close to her, she wasn't going to waste anymore time. Not voluntarily alone.

"Chester," He snapped in proper position as Tessa referred him, "Ready the carriage. It's a long journey to Whales."

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><p><strong>I hoped you like it! Please comment and review!<strong>


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